At age 28, Heck retired as a MiddletownTownship police officer. He was deemed “totally and permanently” disabled in 1993 after he was struck on the hand with a hockey stick while responding to a domestic dispute, according to state pension records.

With pension-for-life in his grasp, Heck attended RutgersUniversity and graduated with a law degree. He was hired by the attorney general as a state investigator in 2004, promoted to deputy attorney general in 2007 and joined the governor’s staff in 2011.

Christie and Heck have declined comment, yet the governor criticized disabled double-dippers several weeks ago in his State of the State address.

“Our pension system is burdened by some who collect disability retirement because they claim they are ‘totally and permanently’ disabled, but are now working full-time,” said Christie.

Goetting – pronounced “getting” – represents another dimension of burden to taxpayers and the state pension system.

In 2003, Goetting took an early “retirement” from state service after he was forced out of his position as a vice president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, now part of Rutgers.

As part of a negotiated settlement, Goetting received $180,525 in severance pay from UMDNJ – plus a company car, cell phone, laptop, secretarial services and other perks. UMDNJ refused to disclose the reason for his departure.

The deal included a payout of nearly $190,000 plus perks. Goetting received a six-month paid leave of absence at full salary ($81,000), a one-year “transitional sabbatical” at half-salary ($81,000) and $27,500 in vacation pay.

He was allowed to keep his college email, cell phone and laptop computer until June 30, 2009, his official day of separation with Brookdale. The college also agreed to provide Goetting with a letter of reference – and promised not to say anything “disparaging” about him.

Brookdale claimed it had no record of why Goetting was terminated.

In 2010, Goetting joined the Christie administration as the governor’s budget expert on cutting the cost of government. So far, Goetting has pocketed more than $1 million in pension and severance pay while continuing to draw six-figure public salaries.

Christie and Goetting declined comment to New Jersey Watchdog. But the governor’s office did release a statement to PolitickerNJ.com.

“Lou Goetting is an invaluable member of the administration with an incredible level of expertise in state, county and local government budgeting and administration and public financing stretching back decades,” spokesman Michael Drewniak told the web site. “The governor called him out of retirement for that reason, and we are grateful to have him.”